


Bruised Worse than a Peach Dropped on a Hot Day

by Mindandbodychaos



Category: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fannie Flagg
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-07-24 18:54:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20019355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mindandbodychaos/pseuds/Mindandbodychaos
Summary: Second Chances may not be easy, but they should be taken.





	1. The Terror Didnt Stop

**Author's Note:**

> I will be taking some liberties with ages. I look through the book time and time again but I never could find a direct age given to idgie or Ruth. There will be flash backs to Ruth's abuse and rape.

No one said it would be easy after Ruth got back to the Threadgoode house. Idgie for one knew it would be hard. Idgie just never thought it would be hard for herself after Ruth came back. But after getting Ruth squared away in the guest room that she had stayed in all those years ago idgy all but had to drag herself out of the room and back down the hall to her own room, not wanting to leave the bruised and beaten woman alone. The sun had just fully set when idgie first heard Ruth's screams, by the second yell idgie was out the bedroom door and on her way to Ruth. Idgie made the door by Ruth's third scream and could hear the others comeing alive and makeing their way out of their rooms. Opening the door idgie expected someone to be in there with Ruth, hurting her, killing her none the less but all she saw was ruths lanky body curled into itself and her clutching the sheets like it was her only way of not floating off into the air and up against the roof.

Taking slow tentative steps towards the bed idgie softly calls out to Ruth trying to easily pull her from her nightmares. By the time idgie finally made it to the side of the bed Ruth was stirring from her nightmares, eyes open just barely wide enough so idgie can see the whites of her eye. "Ruth? Ruth honey?" At the sound of idgies voice Ruth's whole world seemed to crumple into nothing in front of idgies eyes, Ruth's body curled impossibly tighter as her eyes closed and she brought a hand up to cover her face. Idgies heart broke all over again, just like all those years ago watching Ruth go off to be married. As she heard ruths sobs she did the only thing she could think of: lifting Ruth from the bed she wraps ruths legs around her waist and started her way back to her room nodding at her parents and brother as she passed them at Ruth's door. It was the sound of her bedroom door closeing shut behind her as she layed Ruth in her own bed that told her what she did was right in her famileys eyes just as much as it was in hers.

Laying Ruth down was the easy part, untangleing her grasp on idgie was a whole different level of difficulty. Did you tried everything from talking and singing to Ruth all the way to retching her arms off from behind her neck but nothing worked and eventually idgie just decided on pulling Ruth back up into her lap and sitting on the bed with her until she fell back asleep but by that time Idgie was so tired herself that she laid Ruth down on the bed on the side faceing towards idgie and in no time idgie fell asleep herself while still sitting straight up on the bed. Ruth didnt have anymore nightmares that night and idgie didnt budge when Ruth curled closer in her sleep and layed her hand on idgies thigh.


	2. The Devil Stalks the Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just because your physically safe doesnt mean your mind will let you feel that.

Bringing Ruth to her bed had worked amazingly. The brunette slept soundly on the twin sized bed curled against Idgies leg. The sun was already high in the sky by the time Ruth woke, it took her a minute or two to register that she was in Idgie's room and a sense of relief flooded through her body at the sight of the blonde sitting straight up against the headboard looking like a guard. But soon after feelings of regret and guilt washed over her senses, the feeling of forcing Idgie to take care of her nagged at her from the inside. Ruth sat up on her knees slowly trying to remove herself from the bed without waking Idgie but about the time she was pulling her last leg off the bed Idgie woke up with a start. "Wha's going on? Where you goin'? Are you okay?" Ruth can't help but smile at how adorable Idgie is "I didn't mean to wake you, I just shouldn't be in here. You shouldn't have had to come and get me Idgie. And I shouldn't have come in here with you." Sitting up Idgie's face contorts into pain and she quickly grabs at the back of her neck, Ruth noticing her pain quickly sits on the edge of the bed again and asks in a soft voice "did you sit up like this all night? At Idgie's guilty look Ruth ticks her tongue in disapproval all while she shakes her head "now wha'd you go on doing that for?" Lightly smacking Idgie's outer thigh Ruth has her scoot down towards the middle of the bed so she can sit behind her and begins massaging her friends sore neck and shoulders trying to relieve the pain of sitting up all night. Idgie takes in a shuddering breath at the sudden feel of Ruth's hands on the bare skin of her neck "I didn't think about it last night, I woke up to you screaming like you were being attacked but when I got to your room you were just having a fit. And then after you woke up you were so upset. Only thing I could think of was to not leave you alone nomore. So I brought you on in here with me and you fell right to sleep." Idgie feels Ruth's hands slow down against her sholder and Idgie could swear the heat from Ruth's hands were burning threw her sleep shirt, re-focusing on what she was doing Idgie continues as she feels Ruth's hands slowly began moveing lower down her neck. "Now I don' remember falling asleep myself but I can tell you sleepin' sitting up ain' really a hobby of mine." Ruth squeezes down on a muscle in Idgie's lower neck and suddenly the blondes hand is gripping Ruth's calf tightly at the release of stiff muscles in her neck. The sudden movement makes Ruth jump in fear but it's the hand on her bare skin that shocks her to her core. Before Idgie knew it Ruth is off the bed and several feet from her, out of hands reach. Ruth walks backwards slowly, reaching behind her for the door handle staring like a startled doe directly at Idgie as the blonde stands from the bed staying with the backs of her legs against it. "Idgie this was wrong, I shouldn't be in here. This is your room it's not right for me to be in here." Idgie goes to take a step as her mouth opens to retaliate but Ruth's hurried steps backwards against the door startles her into staying in her place "No Idgie I'm sorry but we're not children. We're not! We are adults, you're an adult Idgie. And im-" Idgie holds their breath as Ruth's voice wavers on the verge of tears, Idgie had never heard Ruth raise her voice like this before and now with her suddenly at the point of tears it scared idgie about as much as seeing Ruth kicked from those stairs, the strong fear of loseing Ruth chilled her to her bones. "I'm married Idgie! I'm married and i'm- I'm pregnant. I can not be in your room like this. We can't be sharing a bed at night. It's not right Idgie! We're not kids anymore." And with that Ruth is out the door before Idgie can blink. At the sound of Ruth's bedroom door closing Idgie sits roughly down on the edge of her bed before taking in a much-needed breath.

The rest of the day went by normally, as normally as it could when you refuse to acknowledge the conversation that's burning a hole inside of your chest. Which the conversation that morning felt like it was burning threw both women like a rampant fire. The whole Threadgoode house could tell something was off between the girls and although no one else heard the conversation at hand the Threadgoode's new just by hearing Ruth's raised voice earlier that it had been a bad conversation. Ruth didnt allow herself to sleep in Idgies room anymore but the nightmares never left her alone.

The nights for Ruth never seem to get better. Night after night the entire Threadgoode house was awoken by Ruth screaming and crying in her sleep. But after that first day Idgie forced herself to never go in Ruth's room and comfort her from her nightmears. None of the other Threadgoode's would mentioned seeing Idgie curled up sleeping at Ruth's door every morning only for her to be downstairs in the kitchen by the time Ruth came out of her room. No one mentioned how everyday the girls looked closer and closer to death but all the while hoping and praying they would work through whatever had gotten them into this position.


	3. A Smart Aleck and then Just Really Smart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruth finds out where Idgies heart really is.

Four weeks. It had been an entire four weeks since Ruth moved back in. Four weeks of living with the Threadgoods, of knowing she was safe from Frank Bennett. But it was also four weeks of nightmares, four weeks of days spent looking around every corner expecting Frank to be there. Four weeks of ignoreing the sad, sympathetic and concerned eyes of the entire Threadgood family. Four weeks of avoiding Idgie's eyes completely, four weeks of trying to not notice how hollow idgie looked (and still to this day looks) after Ruth had screamed at her up in Idgies room. Four weeks of acting like she never heard Idgie sitting outside her room at night after she wakes up from another nightmear, never talking about how she noticed Idgie sleeping outside her door the few times she had went out to get a glass of water or go to the bathroom right as the sun was comeing up. Ruth wanted to say something to Idgie, to tell her to "go on back to your own room", to "stop sleepin' on the hard floor before you wake up and can't move no more" but Ruth knew she couldn't. Ruth knew if she opened her mouth to say anything all that would come out would be a resounding "please dont leave me."

Ruth's dreams just seem to be getting worst. Every night she trys to stay awake knowing that it would better then seeing Franks face looming over her. The smell of his breath in her face, the smell of his sweat penetrating the air around her so strongly she can't breath without her lungs burning. She trys to not see him, trys turning her face away but suddenly his teeth are sinking into her bottom lip and theres blood in her mouth, she trys shoveing him away but suddenly the side of her face is burning with pain and the room seems far away as if she's looking at the world through a train tunnel. Then the real pain starts, the burning blistering pain that takes over all of her senses. Its red hot and burning her like a hot iron between her legs and all she can do is scream. She screams so loud shes surprised the first few nights after the wedding that none of the neighbors can hear her screaming, that is until they started comeing over and she has to brave face while her "loveing husband" makes comments about how wild she is in bed and how the quiet little Reverend's daughter was a very vocal lover. The worst part about the neighbors knowing wasnt that she didnt get help but that the men continued to come around asking Frank all about her wild tendencies and all the while Ruth sat there holding back the tears that fought to fall at the acts Ruth allegedly preformed for Frank.

Wakeing up from yet another nightmare about liveing with Frank Ruth couldnt hold back her tears, she haddent been able to since Idgie, Big George, and Julian saved her from her husband. After her crying calmed down and her body stopped shaking Ruth layed there thinking. Thinking of how much trouble she's causeing being here. She knows everyone is worried about her, no one says a thing but she knows she keeps everyone awake at night with her crying, Idgie had mentioned that first night that she was haveing a fit so shes sure those are keeping the house awake too. Poor Idgie, between staying up real early in the morning at her door only to get an hour or so's sleep before being downstairs acting as if nothing happened that is what really made up Ruths mind it was the thought of Frank comeing back. The thought of Idgie lying dead on the floor while shes being hauled out to Frank's truck, the thought of never seeing Idgie again because she got her killed by hideing away here from her husband. That thought gets her moving, she haddent heard Idgie makeing any noise from the hallway by her door since she woke up so she must have been asleep already. Ruth quietly packs her suitcase with what she knows she will need and mainly be able to lift on her own and shes out her bedroom door as quickly as possible. 

Idgie isnt there. Looking down the hall to the blondes room Ruth is surprised to see the door closed shut. The thought of Idgie giveing up staying by her door breaks Ruths heart in a way she didnt know was possible but she knows she has to leave. The suns already riseing over the trees and Ruth knows the family will be up and moveing soon so she makes her way down the stairs as fast and quietly as she can minding the squeaky steps and the rickety handrail along the route. It isnt until she has the front door open she knows shes been caught. "DON'T!" Idgie's voice cuts through the Silent House like a hot knife through fresh butter. Ruth slowly turns never removing her hand from the door handle "Idgie please. You know I can't st-" Idgie cuts her off imediately takeing large fast steps towards her "then I'll come with you! Let me go grab a bag and I'll go with you." Idgie moves to run up the stairs but Ruth halts her "No, stop Idgie. I can't be around you. I'm sorry but Frank is going to find me soon enough and with you already takeing me away he ain't gonna hold back from killing you. I have to leave." Idgie drops her hand from the handrail "I'll kill him if he ever comes back. He aint takeing you again. Ruth please." Ruth can feel the tears already running down her cheeks and gathering at the point of her chin "Idgie i-" Ruth is startled, not by the volume in which Idgie yells but at the words that come out of her mouth "Ruth please just dont leave me again!"


	4. Repercussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Idgies admission.

"Again?" The word is asked so softly Idgie doesnt hear it above all the thoughts going through her head. The rest of the Threadgoode family is already starting to gather in the entryway behind Idgie. "Ruth, honey we understand if you have to leave because you need to do what you think is best for you and the baby" at this Idgie's hands curl onto fists so tight her arms begains to shake but she never raises her eyes from the ground at Ruths feet "but honey if you leave Idgie will be right there behind you the whole way. Whether you want her there or not, She'll follow you anywhere you go. I dont want to lose a daughter but if you leave right now I'll lose two because Idgie barely made it these past two years you have been gone. You leaveing to get married just about killed her." Ruth looked from Idgie's downcast face to above the blondes sholder where momma Threadgoode spoke. Ruth couldnt breath, but she couldnt make herself leave either. Her own parents had been won over by Frank Bennett's charm and good looks, but here in the Threadgoode house he was seen for what he really was: an abusive, manipulative, hateful man and Ruth had a feeling that the Threadgoodes knew that from the beginning. Ruth knew she couldn't leave the only family that wanted her.

As soon as Ruth's suitcase was on the floor she found herself being cradled is strong arms, she expected it to have been Papa threadgoode sweeping her up so she couldn't change her mind and run away but standing all the way back up she noticed the straw colored hair set just below her eye line atop a head that stood shorter than herself and was soon overtaken by a calming whiff of grass and fresh air. Ruth knew this was her Idgie, this was the same Idgie that saved her from Frank, the same Idgie that stood guard at her door every night, the same Idgie that already took a beating from Frank but that Ruth was sure would take a second and third beating just the same. Ruth knew where she was ment to be, the Threadgoode house had always felt like home, Idgie had always felt like home.

It took some time but finally Idgie was able to coax Ruth into the living room. Mama Threadgoode had told everyone to sit in the living room to have a rest and talk to one another while her and sipsey made breakfast. By the time Mama Threadgoode came back into the living room to call everyone to breakfast the room let out a outstanding "shhh," looking over the couch she noticed why. Finally her two youngest girls were sound asleep: Idgie with her head thrown back against the back of the couch sleeping with her mouth open ready to catch flies as Ruth had found herself settled curled up in the seat next to her on the couch with her head laying over against idgie's shoulder sound asleep. "Now you all come on in here to eat and let them girls sleep. They ain't had no sleep in weeks; we'll feed them when they wake up, right now they need some sleep and alone time." 

By the time Idgie woke up it was already well into night, stomach rumbling Idgie went to stand up and find something to eat only for a hand to grip her thigh tightly and a head to snuggle deeper against her hip. Without looking down Idgie's face lit up, her Ruth had stayed and she couldn't be happier that she didn't lose Ruth all over again. Settling back into the couch Idgie knew her stomach could wait till morning, actually she knew her stomach would wait a whole lifetime just to let Ruth continue sleeping in her lap. Looking down Idgie took in the sight of Ruth sleeping, she looked so peaceful as if those years with Frank had not happened. Idgie had not seen Ruth this calm since that day she found out Frank was beating her, but the calm Ruth showed that day had sent a chill down Idgie's spine. How calm Ruth had been that day let Idgie know that Frank had been hurting her for a long while, it let her know that Ruth had been living with the pain long enough to not believe there was a way out. Idgie's anger flared up for a minute at the thought of herself turning away and leaving Ruth in that house that day, Idgie would have like to taken Ruth and ran with her as far away from him as possible, Idgie would have like to strung Frank up and beat him like a rug, but it was Ruth's command to leave that had Idgie turning tail and going home; and it was Ruth's thumb rubbing circles against her thigh that tampered Idgies anger. Idgie still to this day believes she made the worst decision in her life by turning her back on the only person besides buddy she really truly loved.

With the past prevalent in her mind and memories of Buddy before he died, Idgie settled back into the couch and slept the rest of the night. Ruth's hand never left Idgies thigh and Idgies hand never left Ruth's side.


	5. Coping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruth and Idgie try to deal with the aftermath of sleeping together on the couch.

Idgie and Ruth slept together on the couch all night. During the night Idgie had slumped over against the arm of the couch and Ruth had moved right along with her pillow so as her head stayed on Idgies thigh the whole night. The sleep they got was finally peaceful: Ruth had her first segments of sleep without nightmares since the day she married Frank Bennett and Idgie had her first night of sleep without thoughts of losing Ruth (either to the Grave or just out of her life). The two women slept just as calmly and deeply as they could all the way till the next morning when the Threadgoode house began to come alive.

Idgie woke up to Ruth stirring, the Brunette's hand gripping and releasing her thigh and the feel of the older woman snuggling more into her. Ruth woke up to the sounds of feet coming down the stairs as well as feet moving around in the room above her but it wasn't until she heard the footsteps from the stairs stop at the doorway of the living room that it really registered in her mind about the position she and Idgie were in. Suddenly a painful amount of guilt and anxiety over took her body. It was Ruth's sudden departure from her lap that roused Idgie the rest of the way. Idgie looked at Ruth confused hoping for an explanation "Ruth?" Ruth just shook her head sharply cutting off any other questions Idgie could produce "I'm going to go help your mama." And with that Ruth was out of the living room and into the kitchen where she soon heard Sipsys voice telling Ruth all about how she makes her biscuits that always seem to melt away in your mouth.

After breakfast everyone retired to the living room to enjoy coffee and Leisure talking. To the random onlooker everything would have seemed fine but too Idgie and the rest of the Threadgoode's, all of whom knew Ruth from before marrying Frank, could tell she wasn't the same as she was before she left. Everyone could tell she was jumpy and skittish about everything she did and said now, they all had notice this change in her beforehand but after such a good sleep that she just had her jumpiness should have gone away but as it didnt it was clear that the lack of sleep was not the cause for her troubles. Idgie stopped paying attention to the rooms conversation when she saw Ruth jump about out of her skin when Mama Threadgoode patted the brunettes knee but it was when Ruth excused herself hastingly afterwards only to disappear into the kitchen that Idgie just had to follow her.

When she entered the kitchen the blonde expected to see Ruth getting herself a glass of sweet tea or stealing another one of Sipsy's biscuits that she loved so much but what she didn't expect was to find Ruth looking out the kitchen window towards the forest line with an empty expression. Idgie stood there for a long while just watching Ruth, wondering what was going on inside her friend's head. After what felt like hours Idgie spoke up softly "you alrigh' there Ruth?" At the first sound of the younger woman's voice the brunette jumped and spun around faster than a cat who's gotten its tail stepped on "Idgie Threadgoode! You scared the daylights out of me." Ruth took a calming breath as her hand came to her chest and Idgie apologized "what are you doing in here Idgie?" Idgie smiles while leaning back against the counter "you were in here a while and I got to thinkin' maybe you could use som' help." Idgies smile falls as she notices that Ruth wouldn't look her in the eyes and after another long pause without Ruth talking to her Idgie nods slowly "alrigh' then I guess I'll leave you to it." Idgie left the kitchen and immediately went to gather her fishing pole and hook lines shouting out a quick "goin' fishin' " before she shut the door behind her on our own way out. Ruth stayed in the kitchen the whole time Idgie moved about the house but as soon as the door was shut behind the blonde Ruth quickly made her way up to her room when she couldn't find the strength to hold back her tears.

It was close to 6 o'clock by Papa threadgoodes pocket watch by the time Idgie came strolling through the front door, feet caked in mud but her hook line was filled to the brim with fish. Ruth had already made it back downstairs by lunchtime and seem to be feeling a tad bit better. Idgie was surprised by how much better Ruth felt because when she presented her fishing Treasures to Ruth the brunette couldn't seem to hold back the laugh that bubbled up within her. Ruth's face never lost the smile as she took the fish from Idgie's hand "now you better go on and get yourself cleaned up before Sipsey an' your mama catch you bringin' all that mud in here. I'll take care of these, now you get going." Idgie turn to look towards the directions she came from and sure enough she had left a perfect trail of muddy footprints right to where she stood currently. Sheepishly turning back to Ruth Idgie began to quickly make her way to the washroom down the hall and it wasn't but a minute later that Mama Threadgoode came into the kitchen from the living room and noticed the fish in Ruths hand and the muddy footprints on her floor " Imogene Threadgoode! How many times do I got to tell you to stop tracking mud on my floors?!" There was a small pause of silence before Idgie's muffled "sorry Mama" came from down the hall, and for the second time in over two years Ruth couldn't contain the laughter breaking from within her. Idgie was in the middle of washing her hands and arms of the soap when she heard Ruth's infectious laugh and she couldn't help the smile taking over her, and the entire Threadgoode house took a sigh in relief.


End file.
